1st Test
Afghanistan and New Zealand’s first Test ended abruptly without even one ball being bowled due to wet outfield conditions at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground and inadequate preparation, resulting in no play across all five days of the match.
The New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard therefore recorded the fixture as an abandoned Test without a single delivery being bowled, making it one of the rarest occurrences in international cricket history.
Afghanistan were intended to use this match not as part of ICC World Test Championship but to acclimatise to subcontinent conditions before facing Sri Lanka in three ODI series that will start later this month; unfortunately persistent rain caused play to stop as early as 9.15am on day 5.
| No. | Date | Tournament | Format | Venue | Match Scorecard | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 Feb 2026 | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup | T20I | Chennai | Afghanistan 182/6 (20) vs New Zealand 183/5 (17.5) | New Zealand won by 5 wickets |
| 2 | 8 Jun 2024 | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup | T20I | Providence, Guyana | Afghanistan 159/6 (20) vs New Zealand 75 (15.2) | Afghanistan won by 84 runs |
| 3 | 18 Oct 2023 | ICC Cricket World Cup | ODI | Chennai | New Zealand 288/6 (50) vs Afghanistan 139 (34.4) | New Zealand won by 149 runs ( |
| 4 | 7 Nov 2021 | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup | T20I | Abu Dhabi | Afghanistan 124/8 (20) vs New Zealand 125/2 (18.1) | New Zealand won by 8 wickets |
2nd Test
Team A may invoke a follow-on in matches where the first day’s play has been lost if their total in their first innings is 150 runs less than that of Team B’s first innings total, similar to when England faced New Zealand in 2013.
England introduced the Player Referral System during that game for decisions on boundary calls and whether sixes had been hit; this system would later be replaced with the Decision Review System in 2021.
3rd Test
Test cricket is an international form of cricket played between two eleven-player teams from opposing nations, and has been governed by the International Cricket Council since 1909.
Test matches take place as bilateral series in various countries with one team acting as host and another serving as visitor, with the winner receiving the Test Mace, previously held by its previous series winner.
Ben Stokes will return to England’s team for this third Test against New Zealand following an incident at a London nightclub. His inclusion will give them an opportunity to regain the initiative; day-one wickets from Stokes, Emilio Gay and Ben Duckett should make them feel secure.
| Player | Role | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kane Williamson | Top-order Batter | Right-hand Bat | Right-arm Off Break |
| Devon Conway | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Left-hand Bat | — |
| Finn Allen | Opening Batter | Right-hand Bat | — |
| Rachin Ravindra | Batting All-rounder | Left-hand Bat | Left-arm Spin |
| Daryl Mitchell | Batting All-rounder | Right-hand Bat | Right-arm Medium |
| Glenn Phillips | Middle-order Batter | Right-hand Bat | Right-arm Off Break |
| Tom Latham | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Left-hand Bat | — |
| Mitchell Santner (Captain) | All-rounder | Left-hand Bat | Left-arm Orthodox Spin |
| Michael Bracewell | All-rounder | Right-hand Bat | Right-arm Off Break |
| Matt Henry | Fast Bowler | Right-hand Bat | Right-arm Fast |
| Lockie Ferguson | Fast Bowler | Right-hand Bat | Right-arm Fast |
| Tim Southee | Fast Bowler | Right-hand Bat | Right-arm Fast-Medium |
| Ish Sodhi | Spin Bowler | Right-hand Bat | Leg Break |
| Will Young | Top-order Batter | Right-hand Bat | — |
| Ben Sears | Fast Bowler | Right-hand Bat | Right-arm Fast |
4th Test
New Zealand have an opportunity to come back after suffering an early defeat in Chennai and get back on the winning path. They should do that by weathering an initial storm on a surface which promises bounce and grip – spinners should find this surface particularly challenging as hosts.
Naib struck an impressive 63 off 35 balls to take Afghanistan to 182 in their opening innings at Chepauk, an excellent total with some notable contributions from Rasooli and Omarzai.
Ferguson makes an impressive opening over, creating some significant bounce on his ball while using legrollers to take one wicket. In his next over he manages to slip one back in and offers one that veers off-track and hits Allen on its way – earning him another scalp!
NZ are struggling in their chase of 227 to win and Mujeeb strikes twice during the powerplay to remove Ravindra and Allen for just nine runs each, as NZ slip from 92/2 to 110/3 with an incipient crowd growing increasingly vocal about them as Seifert and Glenn Phillips keep them within striking distance.
NZ’s batsmen must score 54 runs from the final 36 balls, being patient and strategic with their approach. While their spinner-play has been fantastic, quicks will prove key if NZ are to reach victory. NZ can create history here but must first weather an early storm while keeping their top order firing at full capacity if they hope for any chance at all of winning this match.
The New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard highlights this tense run chase, showcasing the crucial partnerships, standout bowling performances, and key moments that shaped one of the most exciting encounters between the two sides.
| Match Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | New Zealand vs Afghanistan, Match 4, Group D |
| Tournament | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Date | 8 February 2026 |
| Venue | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, India |
| Toss | Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first. |
| Afghanistan Score | 182/6 in 20 overs |
| New Zealand Score | 183/5 in 17.5 overs |
| Result | New Zealand won by 5 wickets |
| Player of the Match | Tim Seifert (65 off 42 balls) |
| Top Scorer (Afghanistan) | Gulbadin Naib – 63 (35) |
| Top Scorer (New Zealand) | Tim Seifert – 65 (42) |
| Best Bowler (Afghanistan) | Mujeeb Ur Rahman – 2/31 (4 overs) |
| Best Bowler (New Zealand) | Lockie Ferguson – 2/40 (4 overs) |
| Match Highlights | Afghanistan posted a competitive 182/6 thanks to Gulbadin Naib’s explosive 63. New Zealand suffered an early collapse to 14/2 but recovered through Tim Seifert (65) and Glenn Phillips (42). Daryl Mitchell (25*) and Mitchell Santner (17*) guided the Black Caps to victory with 13 balls remaining, completing their highest successful run chase in T20 World Cup history. The New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard showcased a thrilling chase and an outstanding batting recovery by New Zealand. |
